1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to an adjustable shelf assembly for a refrigerator, and more specifically, to a shelf assembly that can expand and retract laterally.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional refrigeration appliances, such as domestic refrigerators, typically have both a fresh food compartment and a freezer compartment or section. The fresh food compartment is where food items such as fruits, vegetables, and beverages are stored and the freezer compartment is where food items that are to be kept in a frozen condition are stored. The refrigerators are provided with a refrigeration system that maintains the fresh food compartment at temperatures above 0° C. and the freezer compartment at temperatures below 0° C.
The arrangements of the fresh food and freezer compartments with respect to one another in such refrigerators vary. For example, in some cases, the freezer compartment is located above the fresh food compartment and in other cases the freezer compartment is located below the fresh food compartment. Additionally, many modern refrigerators have their freezer compartment and fresh food compartment arranged in a side-by-side relationship. Whatever arrangement of the freezer compartment and the fresh food compartment is employed, typically, separate access doors are provided for the compartments so that either compartment may be accessed without exposing the other compartment to the ambient air.
Vertically spaced shelves are often provided within the compartments to provide support surfaces for food items to be stored within the compartments. As more shelves are provided within the compartments, the total area of support surfaces within the appliance is increased. However, the presence of a shelf vertically spaced above a lower shelf can often limit the vertical dimensions and quantity of food items that can be stored below on the lower shelf. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a shelf assembly that can expand and retract so that when the shelf assembly is in the retracted position, the footprint of the shelf assembly above a lower shelf is reduced, which in turn, will allow for a greater flexibility of food items that can be stored on the lower shelf. Meanwhile, when greater support surface area within the compartment is desired, the shelf assembly can be adjusted to the extended position to provide additional support surface area.